Measuring the tone of the President’s SONA

In what is being touted as a first in South Africa, media research house Media Tenor and Online Reputation Management business, BrandsEye, will conduct a comprehensive media analysis of the reaction before, during, and after the State of the Nation Address (#SONA) by President Jacob Zuma tomorrow night [February 9, at 7pm].

The live analysis will provide insights into what people anticipate pre-address, immediate reactions to what the President is saying as well as post-address opinions. Media Tenor has conducted an in-depth analysis of traditional media’s anticipations around SONA, comparing the results to previous years. BrandsEye will assess pre- and post-SONA anticipations and expectations expressed in social and other online media.

“Research that assesses to what extent traditional media are influencing the perception of people that express their opinion in social media is a first for South Africa”, said Wadim Schreiner, managing director of Media Tenor. “While there is awareness of the growing importance of social media in the country, there is little empirical research that assesses the relationship between traditional and social media”.

Pre-SONA assessment results will be made available exclusively through Business Day Online on the day of the address. Business Day Online will also carry ongoing updates, including post-SONA assessments, which will be available until Monday, February 13.

“The live analysis of social commentary around the State of the Nation Address will allow for an immediate assessment of the markets view towards the policy directions expressed by the Presiden,” says Tim Shier, managing director of BrandsEye.

“It will provide for an immediate understanding of the individual issues that find support or rejection. In turn, it will form the basis for a good understanding of public support in a year that is bound to be politically charged”.

The research is part of a project by the two organisations to understand the reciprocal relationship between traditional and social media. It will also include the budget speech being presented by Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan on 22 February.

BrandsEye and Media Tenor will also present the analysis of the actual speech as well as real-time reactions expressed in social media on 9 February. This can be accessed via www.brandseye.com/sona from 19:00 onwards. It will be featured on eNews during and after the broadcast of SONA.

In the meantime, the President has asked for input on the SONA. The public is asked to submit comments via various social media channels.

the President’s personal Twitter account @SAPresident , or by using #PresidentSona

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